This invention is generally directed to a holder for use in retaining a quantity of a substance and a beverage making apparatus which is used to make a beverage, such as coffee, concentrated beverage or tea. More particularly, the invention contemplates a holder which is used with a beverage making apparatus to make a beverage and to dispense the beverage into one of two reservoirs, to allow different flavors, or regular and decaffeinated coffee, to be served from the beverage making apparatus.
Prior art holders, such as a funnel, are formed from a body having a drain hole through a center of a bottom wall of the body. The liquid passes through the holder and through the drain hole to pass the beverage into a reservoir. As such, this type of holder can only service one reservoir.
The present invention provides a holder and a beverage making apparatus which can be used to make a beverage and deposit the beverage into one of two reservoirs, which would allow different flavors, or regular and decaffeinated coffee, to be served from the beverage making apparatus. Other features and advantages over the prior art will become clear upon a reading of the attached specification in combination with a study of the drawings.
A general object of the present invention is to provide an improved holder and beverage making apparatus which are used to make a beverage, such as coffee, concentrated beverage or tea.
Another general object of the present invention is to provide a holder and beverage making apparatus which are used to make a beverage and deposit the beverage into one of two reservoirs, thereby allowing different flavors, or regular and decaffeinated coffee, to be served from the beverage making apparatus.
Briefly, and in accordance with the foregoing, the present invention discloses a holder and beverage making apparatus for use in making a beverage, such as coffee, concentrated beverage or tea. The holder is mounted on the beverage making apparatus and can be used to make a beverage and deposit the beverage into one of two reservoirs, which would allow different flavors, or regular and decaffeinated coffee, to be served from the beverage making apparatus.
The holder includes a body, a drain hole provided therethrough for allowing liquids to flow through the holder, a first handle attached to the body and a second handle attached to the body. The first handle and the second handle are offset from each other. A first means is provided on the body for providing an indication of a first orientation of the body. A second means is provided on the body for providing an indication of a second orientation of the body. The first means and the second means are offset from each other. The first means may comprise a magnet which has its north and south poles in a first orientation, such as for example, its north pole in an upward direction and its south pole in a downward direction. The first means may be mounted on the handle or on the body. The second means may comprise a magnet which has its north and south poles in a second orientation, such as for example, its south pole in an upward direction and its north pole in a downward direction. The second means may be mounted on the handle or on the body.
The beverage making apparatus includes a housing on which the holder can be selectively mounted in one of two directions. A sensor is provided on the housing and senses whether the first means or the second means is within its sensing range. If magnets are used, the sensor senses which pole is within its sensing range. This information is sent to a controller on the beverage making apparatus. The controller determines which beverage is to be made and instructs the components of the beverage making apparatus to make the appropriate beverage.